


Dreamless

by Lady_Helsing



Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Folklore, Friendship, Gen, Mythology - Freeform, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-04-03 20:09:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4113337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Helsing/pseuds/Lady_Helsing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Guardians are faced with a threat unlike they have seen before. This will bring them deeper into the world of myths and stories, or they will loose the children they fight so hard to keep safe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome! This is the first multi chapter Rose of the Guardians I have done. Feedback is always welcome and please enjoy. This will follow events in both the books and in the film.

Prologue

 

            The Black Forest of Germany, such as many other ancient forests of the earth, had always held its own power. Perhaps it was for this reason alone that it had been chosen as the prison. That was how the imp saw it, a prison.

            Not his prison no. No mortal or immortal cage could keep him trapped.

            A prison such as this would be called a treasure trove by an unknowing creature. These treasures held dark magic or tricky magic, which could be almost as dangerous. Others would say this is a fools errand. Not him. He was tired of being called a fool. Fool who had lost to a child.

            Once he had the stone, and he would have it, no longer would he be a fool.

            Gone would be the humiliation. The torment of losing. How dare a mortal get the better of him?

            The guards had easily been avoided. They would never look for something as small or quiet as he was. Once inside the underground prison, he saw the carvings in the walls depicting the terrible tragedies the items within could bring. Dimly lit candles lined the endless hallways which did truly seem endless. An illusion of course and one they would not fool him with.

            After a time of searching the imp found what he sought. These guards and the prison master had done well in securing it. Iron bars stood between him and the entrance to the cell. His prize also sat in an iron and glass box.

            Iron wouldn’t kill him yet it would still hurt, a pain that would be well worth the effort in the end to get revenge.

            Taking a deep breath to steady his heart, the imp reached out and put his hands on the bars.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

 

            Twilight was easily the Sandman’s favorite time of day. The warm colors of the sky contrasting against the dark hues of the ground were never the same.  This was the time before the day gave away to the night, when his work would start and the moon would shine down.

            Sometimes he would even look to the moon and create shapes in the sand just for Mim. Knowing he would see them and smile. That was just the way things were between them all.

            But not tonight.

            Tonight something felt different.

            Felt _wrong_.

            The Sandman couldn’t put his finger on it either, yet for the last few hours he had been drifting over the land something had felt wrong. He continued to drift through the small town somewhere in French Alps; spreading his Dream Sand to the sleeping children. Watching as the sand took the shapes of things that made the children happen.

            And then it happened.

            A swirl of Dream Sand glided over to the window of a small toddler, went through the window; then vanished.

            Sandy stopped in his tracks and stared. That had never ever happened before. Flying to the window, he peeked inside to find the child was sleeping, but the Dream Sand was gone. He immediately began to look for signs of Nightmares or Fearlings. But there was no sign of them.

            He tried sending in the sand again. And again. And again. He tried for a good five minutes with the same result each time. The sand vanished when it entered the room.

            The Guardian of Dreams sent the sand to the house across the street, that child received the sand like normal. Why wasn’t it working for this child here? In all his years he had never seen anything like this before. His gaze turned up to the moon not so much to look for an answer but to catch Mim’s attention, a plea almost.

            A moonbeam came down and went into the room. It circled a few times only to find everything looked normal. Flying back out of the window it hovered before Sandy before speaking in a quiet voice, “This one will stay and watch this child. For this one is strongly confused.”

            Sandman nodded his thanks. Yet he was still worried. Was this just something strange with this child? Or were there more?

            He made a mental note of the house before moving on to the next village.

            By the end of that night, he had found twenty other children in Europe who could not be touched by the Dream Sand. Plus another ten in Canada and six in America. To say the little man was worried and slightly panicked wouldn’t be an understatement.

            He floated over the last town he visited in staring down with his mouth open in shock. Sunrise would be in a few hours. What would he do? What should he do?

            Staring at the town he noticed a tooth fairy zoon out of the window. At once Sandy made a bee line for the fair and was able to get her attention. The small fairy smiled, grasping onto the tooth.

            It was Baby Tooth.

* * *

 

            “Sandy! It’s great to see you. This is an usual surprise” The Tooth Fairy smiled at her dear friend. She rarely got to see him because she was just as busy, if not more so, than he was. “How are you?”

            Sandy gave a wary smile before exchanging looks with Baby Tooth. The small fairy nodded she tweeted to the queen before laying down on Sandy’s hand pretending to be asleep.

            Tooth watched as Sandy swirled the Dream Sand over to Baby Tooth before making it vanish. Baby Tooth waited a moment before moving again, she tweeted and chirped motioning to Sandy a few times.

            “Your Dream Sand isn’t reaching some of the children?” She asked in a worried voice. “How’s that possible? Has this ever happened before?”

            He shook his head.

            She was about to say more when a moonbeam flew up to them, its attention on Sandy. “This one watched the child. Then this one saw that the child would not wake up. This one does not know why. Many children woke up at sunlight. The child did not wake with them.”

            Baby Tooth made a small frightened squeak.

            Tooth looked at Sandy who made the shapes over his head for the other guardians. “We have to tell the others.”

            “This one has brothers who are looking for the Crossak, Pooka, and frosty one.”

            “I sure hope they get here soon.” Tooth said.

            Sandy couldn’t agree more.

            Luckily for both of them it didn’t take too long until Bunny arrived, flustered and full of questions. It took a little convincing from Tooth before he resolved to wait until North and Jack arrived.

            Well they thought they had at least.

            “Look, I’m all for seein’ you guys, really. But what’s going on?”

            “Something happened to Sandy while he was out that we’ve never had happen before,” Tooth explained.

            “It is Pitch?” The large Pooka asked turning to the sandman.

            Sandy shrugged and made motions indicating that he wasn’t sure. Though somehow he didn’t really think it was Pitch’s doing. The Nightmare King did play dirty but this just didn’t seem like something he would do.

            “Then will one of you please explain what’s going on?”

            “Bunny,” the fairy queen looked at him, “We should wait for North and Jack.”

            “Jack’s always late,” Bunny retorted.

            “And you’re always in a hurry these days. Easter isn’t for a couple months, you can stand to wait a few minutes more.” She motioned to herself, “Look at me! I’m getting better about the whole teeth thing.”

            “Yes I can see that an-”

            He was cut off by the sounds of bells and loud classical music-followed by the gruff sounds of yetis talking. The portal of the snow globe opened briefly showing the Pole in the usual controlled chaos state before North stepped out. “What is problem? Moonbeam come to my workshop and says the children are in danger! What is going on?”

            “Not sure yet, mate,” Bunny’s fur fluffed as the wind chill from the Pole briefly swept over him. “Sandy was trying to do his job and somethin’ screwy happened.”

            “Something screwy? Pitch?”

            Again, Sandy shook his head.

            “He doesn’t think so,” Tooth quickly gave some tooth fetching orders then, “We’re just waiting for Jack then Sandy will tell us.”

            “Oh. Well where is Jack? I know he tends to be late but he usually beats me.”

            Bunny’s ears twitched, “I guess the moonbeam is still out looking for him.”

            The fairy queen turned to give another round of orders to the little fairies, turning her attention back she said, “We should start talking about it, then Jack will fly in. That’s almost always what happens.”

            “Ain’t that the truth? Well go on Sandy, what happened?”

            He was reluctant to go over the event before Jack arrived, still he began to explain what had happened with his sand. It hadn’t taken long to show them and it was clear they shared his confusion.

            “You couldn’t give her a dream?” North was shocked to say the very least. This had never happened before.

            “Yer right that don’t sound like something Pitch would do, he would be rubbing it in our faces if he did.” The pooka crossed his arms and glanced around. Just where was Jack?

            Her feathers fluffed out, “What’s going to happen when the child wakes up?”

            Sandy shrugged. Sometimes he would give children dreams but they wouldn’t remember them; that was something he had no control over. When the child did wake up he had no idea what would happen.

            A moonbeam came flying into the palace, it circled the four of them before it rested just above the ground. “This one is deeply troubled. The child who could not get a dream did not wake once the sun had graced the sky. Parents could not wake the child.”

            Tooth gasped and covered her mouth.

            “This one’s brothers also say all the other children who could not get a dream still slumber as well.”

            Sandy was horrified.

            North was angry, “How many children?”

            “Thirty six and this one’s brothers keep finding more.”

            Bunny’s ears pinned back flat, “Jack better get his frozen hide over here fast. We need ta get on this and get those kids awake.”

            The moonbeam glowed brightly before it dimmed then glowed again, “This one is being told his brothers cannot find the fun one.”

            “What do ya mean they can’t find him?!”

* * *

 

            Flying. No… no he had been falling. But he never fell. He hadn’t fallen from the sky for two hundred and ninety six years.

            Yet he had fallen.

            Why did he fall?

            Wait something hurt him. That’s right. Jack had been flying over apart of Finland when he felt a sharp pain in his side. Something had struck him and it hurt, a lot. He blacked out but he knew he had fallen.

            He didn’t remember landing. Though he was sure someone had picked him up. Yes someone did pick him up.

            Moving he let out a groan, it was then he realized how warm he felt. There was something warm around him. Something soft like a blanket. He could hear the sounds of cracking like a fireplace-no he could smell it too.

            Jack opened his eyes expecting to see the wood and ice ceiling of the Pole, instead it was a white stone ceiling with exposed wooden beams. There was light dancing on the ceiling. Fire light, he realized. This was no room in the Pole he’d ever been in before.

            Wait was he even at the Pole? It was too quiet for the Pole. Anywhere you went in the pole you heard the endless sounds of working yetis or whatever the elves were up to. Jack could only here the fire crackling. And it didn’t smell like it either, the pole smelled something like a cookie factory with a faint hint of oil. Here all he could smell was the fireplace, the crisp chill in the air, and pine trees.

            “Where am I?” He whispered allowed. Slowly Jack moved to sit up in the bed, the pain shot through him again and he gripped at his side. It had been bandaged and his hoodie lay over the fur blankets that covered him. Jack lightly touched the bandage. _Who helped me_?

            Slowly he became aware that he was being watched and looked up to the fire place; staring back at him where two pairs of grey eyes. The grey eyes of snow leopards. Jack’s own blue eyed widened when he realized they were not fakes either.

            The two big cats were laying on the ground in front of the fireplace. They both wore a sort of collar around the neck, the larger of the two wore a brown color the other wore a collar that was a green color. The smaller one with the green collar sat up with its eyes fixed on Jack, before making a strange meowing sound.

            The Guardian of Fun remained completely still.

            The snow leopard made the sound again, when the boy still didn’t move, it stood and leapt onto the foot of the bed. It sat down and stared at him.

            Meanwhile the other, larger, snow leopard stood up and walked out of the room. Leaving Jack alone with the other animal.


	3. Chapter Two

**Dreamless**

Chapter Two

* * *

 

_Where could that boy have gone_?! North had returned to the Pole to pull out his old books and use a tracking system he had to locate the young guardian. Normally he would have thought Jack was with Jamie, but if that had been the case then the Moonbeams would have found him there.

Had something happened to him? No. The crossack knew that Jack was alive, yet they could not find him.

A hole appeared in the ground and the pooka hopped out, "Looked all over Burgess, he an't there."

"What about Jamie? He and Jack are best buds. I know the Moonbeams didn't see him but-"

"I talked to him briefly; he hasn't seen Jack for a few weeks." Long ears twitched, "Something else too, while I was there Jamie told me something was wrong with Cupcake. From what he described it's like the other kids Sandy was tellin' us about."

North looked from Bunny to Sandy who had been standing in the doorway, "Is worse than we might have thought."

The Sandman frowned then pointed to the globe a question mark over his forehead.

"The lights are fine the kids haven't stopped believing," Bunny said.

"All lights are there too." The bearded man looked back at his books, "Tooth is out with the fairies checking on the children. We need to find Jack."

"You tryin' a locater spell? We haven't used one of those in a long time."

"Not since World War I, I know," he set the large book down, "My skills are rusty for these old spells but Jack is guardian and we need his help. For all we know he needs ours."

* * *

 

It felt like hours since the other snow leopard had left Jack alone with the smaller feline. This was something had never ever happened to him before. He'd been seen by animals over the centuries but had never been alone in a room with a predator before. He had no idea what do to so he just sat there staring at the animal who stared back.

Jack could communicate with animals and had several animal friends, mostly mice. But when he tried to talk to this snow leopard it acted like it didn't understand him. It just sat there watching him almost unmoving, save for the swishing tail.

On the side of the animal's collar Jack could see marks like writing but it wasn't any writing he'd ever seen before. He was so focused staring at the writing that he didn't hear when the other snow leopard returned, or the footsteps outside the door. Nor did he hear when the door opened wider.

A soft voice filled the room, "He won't hurt you."

Jack jumped and snapped his head in the direction of the voice. In the doorway stood a woman who had to be in her mid-twenties, and most definitely not human. For starters, she was looking right at him with deep teal colored eyes, secondly her hair was as whiter than his and pulled back in a braid. She wore a dark red dress with silver snowflakes on it, she smiled, "I'm sorry I wasn't trying to scare you."

He picked up her accent, it was Scandinavian but he couldn't tell exactly what part of Scandinavia. "I um..." not wasn't sure what to say but blurted out, "Who are you? Where am I? Why do you have snow leopards? How long have I been here?"

The woman looked mildly surprised but regained her composure, "Calm down. One thing at a time." She walked to the edge of the bed, when she turned her back to him Jack saw her hair turned from white to a deep golden color after it passed her shoulders. His hostess began petting the snow leopard on the bed. "My name is Skadi, what's your name?"

He hesitated, "You're name is Scottie?"

Skadi shook her head, "Skadi. It's like Scottie but with a 'D', unusual to you I guess."

Jack nodded, "I'm Jack Frost." Something about her felt different he added, "I'm a Guardian." As thought that might protect him in case she had plans to feed him to her pets while he was alive. Then that seemed silly.

"A Guardian?" She looked thoughtful.

She doesn't know what that is, Jack realized, "Have you heard of the Sandman, Toothfairy, Easter Bunny, or Santa Clause..?"

At the mention of North's most popular name her eyes lit up, "Oh you're like them? I didn't know they called themselves Guardians. Gift givers for good behavior is more like it." The snow leopard at the foot of the bed laid down and put his head on Jack's leg. "And what is it you bring to the children, Jack?" Skadi sounded genuinely curious.

"Snowballs and fun times," It was out before he had the chance to think of something impressive to say. He'd only been a guardian for a few years and this was the first time introducing himself as one. Jack knew it might be stupid but he wanted to sound like a guardian. "I am the Guardian of Fun, and that's what I make sure kids get out of life."

The smile she gave him was warm and bright, "Then you give children the most important gift."

Jack felt pride swell inside of him. "Thanks."

Continuing to pet the snow leopard Skadi said, "You're welcome. Now to the other questions, you are in my home, Thrymheim up in Lapland. I found you on my doorstep, unconscious and bleeding. What happened?"

Lapland? That was an area that covered Finland, Sweden and Norway. "Wait I was in Finland flying when… I fell. I don't know why I fell but I did." He tried to remember why he fell, "Hey wait you said I was bleeding?"

"Yes. You had a small cut on your head and a few slashes on your side. Nothing life-threatening of course, still you were bleeding." She motioned to his hoodie, "I washed and mended it for you."

"Thanks," Jack picked up the hoodie and pulled it back over him. He couldn't remember the last time it had a good wash.

She continued watching him, "Your question about my boys, that's a long story you don't need to know about. I'll tell you there names though, this one who likes you so much is Huginn. He's my friendly boy." Her eyes looked to the side of Jack, "That is Fafnir-he won't hurt you either."

He looked at the snow leopard to his side, it was the same one that had been in the room with him before. Fafnir didn't move, he just sat there looking at Jack, sizing him up almost.

"And this is Muninn."

Looking back to his hostess he saw the third snow leopard standing right next to Skadi. He hadn't seen that one until now but it looked like it was judging him really harshly.

Snow leopards and snow patterns on the dress of the woman who helped him, "Are you a winter spirit?" Stupid question.

"I am the Lady of Snow, yes. A winter immortal like you."

Lady of Snow. Jack wondered why he hadn't heard of her before. True the world had thousands of creatures like him and the other Guardians, which had to be the only reason, too many creatures and not enough who really want to interact with others.

"How long have I been here?" He asked at last.

"Only a day." Skadi saw the relief on his face, "How are you feeling?"

His stomach answered very loudly for him. He felt his face blush a little from embarrassment. "Um.. eh heh."

"Well we better fix that before you go." She offered her hand to him, "I have some stew that should be about ready."

Jack went to take her hand but found himself hesitating.

"It's a hand not a bear trap." Seeing his unease she added, "I'm not going to hurt you, Jack Frost. I have no want or reason to. Let's get some food in you then you may leave or you may go. I'm sure your friends can help you figure out why you fell."

Jack took Skadi's hand.

* * *

 

"Bunny! You seen the oak leaves I had here?"

"Why are you keeping oak leaves in your office? For that matter where did you get them?! Oaks don't grow this far north, I tried that."

"Jack had a few oak leaves in his hoodie pocket when he came last week, I told him to leave them on the table. I wanted to try something with the leaf designs."

_Of course you did_. Bunny thought, "Well I didn't touch them. I didn't even see them when we came in here-what do you need them for now?"

"They are the last thing Jack had with him and you know the leaves like him. We can use them in tracking spell to find him."

"Oh now I see why you want them. Did you ask the elves or yetties? Maybe Sandy?"

"Why would Sandy hav-"

"Sandy's found him!" Tooth's voice shouted from somewhere by the globe.

North and Bunny couldn't get out of the office space fast enough. Too bad the door was so small.

Sandy beside the globe, Tooth fluttering next to him with three of the Moonbeams. The leaves and sand swirled around a spot on the globe where the countries of Norway, Sweden and Finland met.

"Lapland?" North blinked, "That's not far from here. Why is he there? Why can't we find him?"

"Maybe he's trouble?" The pooka felt his fur begin to fluff up.

"We will go get the frosty one!" The three Moonbeams shouted before shooting out the window like falling stars instead of moon light.

"I swear if something's happened to that popsicle at a time like this I'll-" before he could finish Bunny was his on the head with a sand ball. "Ouch! Sandy what the ruddy hell?!"

Sandy gave the Pooka a stern look. He made the snowflake sign he used for Jack then he put the letters O.K beside it. It wasn't often he wrote with his sand but Bunny needed to chill a little, the sandman had a feeling there would be plenty of time for panic later if they couldn't get to the bottom of whatever was doing this to the children.

Maybe these three didn't know who lived that area. Sandy knew if Jack was there then he was just fine.

* * *

 

"This place is so cool!" Jack couldn't stop turning even after Skadi gave him a bowel of the vegetable stew she had been making. He was eating and walking down the halls, looking at the carvings in the stone, the paintings on the wall, tapestries that hung, this was truly a palace in his mind.

He didn't stop until exploring until he reached a large library on the second floor. Wall to wall books and scrolls. Huge floor to ceiling windows at the opposite end, a large fireplace that looked like a face carved into the stone with a wide mouth.

Turning to look at his hostess, who had been following him and answering questions, he said, "When you told me you're a lady I didn't think you meant like aristocracy kind lady."

"It's just a title." Skadi shook her head, "Honestly I'd rather live in a smaller home but this was a gift, the sort you can't really turn down. I love it here yet all this is too much room for myself and my boys."

"This was a  _gift_." Jack hadn't meant to say that out loud.

Skadi chuckled, "Yes I was just as shocked to get it. Where do you live Jack? If you don't mind my asking."

"I live in a tree-lots more comfortable than it might sound. I've been living there for almost as long as I can remember; the tree is a really close friend. We aren't far from a few fairy circles so sometimes I wake up and the fairies decided to have a sleep over without telling me."

"Sounds like fairies. You say you've been there as long as you can remember? How old are you?"

"Just a little over three hundred."

"Really now?" The lady paused, "It's a wonder I haven't heard of you before."

Jack gripped his staff and the now empty bowl in his other hand, "I um.. I don't have many friends."

"You're a Guardian."

"I just became one a couple years ago." He looked around the room trying to find a way to change the subject. Then he saw it. Mounted on the wall between a display cabinet and the window was a large silver misshapen... "Is that a mirror?" Jack set the bowel down, making a beeline for the object.

"Yes it is."

"Never seen one that looks like this before."

That wasn't a lie. Jack had seen many mirrors in his life time of all shapes and sizes but this one… something about it was very different. It was easily the size of his torso, a silver frame with snow flake engraving held it up, the glass itself was smooth save for one part on a lower end that swirled. As he looked at the mirror Jack swore he saw a mist dance in the dance.

"Unlike normal mirrors, Magic Mirrors don't come in the usual circle or square shapes, they form to fit the magic used to make them. Now they are a rarity because so many have been abused."

_A Magic Mirror?!_  Jack went to say something when the screeching of an owl caught his attention. Both he and Skadi looked at the large windows. Perched on the branch of a small pine tree was a large snowy owl with a scroll tied to its leg.

"I wonder what this is about?" Skadi crossed the room and opened a section of the window, the owl flew in like a shot and landed on a set of antlers that lay on the large desk in the room. Large golden eyes gazed at Jack before the owl turned its head back to Skadi who took the scroll.

Jack watched as Skadi's expression when from curious to angry while she read whatever was on that scroll. At one point he heard her whisper something about a stone. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes." Teal eyes looked at him, "There is an item that was stolen."

"Stolen? What is it-Whoa!"

Three Moonbeams shot into the room and began to circle Jack wildly. Shouting a chorus of 'frosty one'. And while the snow leopards had all but ignored the owl, the Moonbeams had their full attention.

"Jack?"

"It's okay Skadi, they're Moonbeams. Would you guys stop for a second?!" While the trio stopped buzzing around him they didn't stop chattering. All Jack could pick out was that something had happened and he needed to go to the Pole right now. He looked over at Skadi.

She smiled, "If your friends need you then you must go. You're welcome back anytime you like."

The Guardian of Fun gave the Lady of Snow a thankful before flying out the window with the Moonbeams.


	4. Chapter Three

**Dreamless**

Chapter Three

* * *

 

 

Jack was whisked away to the Pole faster than the wind could carry him. He’d never travelled by Moonbeam before and dang was it fast. They took him through an open window – or did they open the window themselves – before dropping Jack on the floor by the large fireplace in the main building of the workshop.

Everything was spinning and not in a good way. Travelling that fast made his stomach do a summersault; there was a split second where Jack thought for sure he was going to throw up. The swirling Moonbeams along their chanting of ‘we found the frosty one’ wasn’t helping either.

Sandy came to his rescue, shooing away the little lights with birds of sand. He walked over to Jack, offering his hand to the winter spirit with a concerned smile on his face.

“Thanks Sandy.”

“Jack!” Tooth shot down to him talking about a million miles an hour. “What happened? Are you hurt? We were so worried?! Where were you? Everything looks okay-”

“Tooth breath!” Jack stared at her. She always got like this when she was upset. But just what was she upset about, “I’m fine. Why were you guys looking for me?”

The Pooka was the one who answered, “We looked all over for you because something is happening to the kids. Are you sure you’re okay? You smell like you’ve been around animals.”

_Yeah three large snow leopards_ , he thought. He wasn’t about to say that to Bunny given what happened with Abby the Greyhound. Oh wait that had been Jack’s fault.

“Sorry I was flying and then passed out, don’t worry I got help and I’m okay now.”

“Wait you passed out? How?” Tooth’s eyes widened, “And who helped you?”

“I’m not sure why or how I passed out. One minute I was flying over Finland, then I woke up in Lapland. A lady named Skadi helped me, she’s the Lady of Snow, though I haven’t heard of her before… course she didn’t know who I was either.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard of her,” Tooth thought for a moment then shook her head. Granted she didn’t know very many others in general beside her friends. “What about you Bunny?”

“Doesn’t ring a bell to me either.”

“No I,” North added before turning his attention to Sandy. “What about you?”

The sandman nodded. He definitely knew who she was.

 “Then she must be a friend.” Turning his attention back to the Fun Guardian he asked, “Are you sure you’re one-hundred-percent okay?”

“Yes. I’m _fine_. Skadi took care of me.”

“Good. Then we can get to business.” The crosshack walked past Jack, “We have a problem with the children.”

“Is it Pitch?” His tone was serious.

“We don’t think so,” the fairy answered, “Some of the children are going to sleep and not waking up. Sandy’s the one who discovered this when his dreamsand didn’t work.”

The Sandman gave a curt nod.

“Wait only some of the kids? Not all of them?”

“No, not all of them, that’s why we don’t think it’s Pitch. This isn’t how he operates,” Bunny explained, “The population of the kids being affected by this well sleeping curse is relatively small. Nothing is waking these kids up.”

“Tooth has a fairies watching over each of the sleeping children,” North said, “Some have even been taken to the hospitals by their parents.”

He gripped his staff, eyes on the globe. Each of the lights was a child they protected. Each light was a precious innocent life whose belief kept the guardians alive. Out there someone was threatening all this. Jack looked at his friends, “Who could have done something like this?”

“That’s another bit of the mystery, mate. We don’t know. Pitch is usually our number one suspect, but not this time.” The Pooka let out a frustrated groan, “We know of other creatures who do want to bring harm to kids-humans in general really-but this doesn’t really fit any of them either.”

Jack wasn’t sure he wanted to ask this but he had to, “Like who?”

“Baba Yaga, Gryla, some species of trolls, the Schwarze Mann, the Kulmking-”

“Okay the trolls are the only thing in that sentence I’ve heard of.”

Sandy gave him a sympathetic smile. Their newest guardian did still have a lot to learn.

“They’re all beings who are known to harm or eat children. Well Baba Yaga didn’t always but that’s not a story for today.”

“In any case,” the tall bearded man looked at his friends, “We need to find a way and fix this. Before more children are affected or worse, we lose a child.”

An uncomfortable stillness settled over the bunch.

“What do we know about this so far?” Jack asked.

“Only a handful of the world’s children are affected by whatever this is. Most of them are in Europe.” North walked to the control panel of the globe, pulled a lever and pressed a few buttons. The lights on the globe changed, while the majority of them still glowed the bright white gold a few others turned to a dull red. Many of these red lights were in Europe, none of them were in Asia, and only a few scattered across Canada and the United States. “These are all the children we know who are in trouble already.”

“I don’t like this,” large ears pinned back as the Pooka glared at the lights, “I’ve been on this planet for a long time and seen a lot of things, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this.”

The white haired boy felt a tugging in his gut, “What else do we know? Anything?”

“We are still gathering information, Jack,” Tooth said, “My fairies are doing the best they can.”

“I’ll go out and help. I don’t want to sit here idling while we wait for info, sorry but that’s not how I do things.”

Sandy floated into the air, a cloud of dream sand forming under him.

“We’ll all go out,” Bunny suggested, “We cover more ground and maybe we can figure out something.” Then he sighed, “North what’s with that look?”

“I think I will stay and try to get hold of Mim. Maybe he knows something?”

“We haven’t had direct contact with Mim since he chose Jack,” Tooth reminded her friend. Centuries ago communication with the Man in the Moon had been easy; after WWI things took a different turn before nearly stopping all together as humans ventured into space.

“I know this, but I’m still going to try.”

Jack’s eyes darted up to North America, specifically to the little light he knew was Jamie. There was a that sinking feeling in his stomach again that began to creep up his spine. “If no one minds I’m going to check on Jamie and the others first.”

“Jamie isn’t being affected, neither is Sophie. I went there earlier to ask them if they had seen you.”

He smiled relieved, “Thanks Bunny.”

“Don’t go thanking me just yet, I still want to know more about what happened to you when this is all taken care of.”

The sandman took this as his que. Tapping Jack’s shoulder, he formed a snowflake with a crown around it, a question mark off to the side. All this got him was a confused look from the winter guardian.

 Tooth had seen the little exchange but she too wasn’t sure what it meant. Was Sandy talking about Jack? If he was this was most definitely a new way of doing it. The snowflake was the symbol he used for Jack but not once had there ever been a crown too. “Um should we go in groups of two or alone?”

“We can cover more ground if we each go solo,” the Guardian of Fun said.

“True but if we go in pairs it could be better, we’d see more.” The Pooka added.

When Sandy indicated that he didn’t care either way North said, “Go in pairs just to be safe. We still don’t know who we are dealing with. I will stay here until you all get back, maybe by then I will know a way to get to Mim.”

It had been decided.

* * *

 

The village of Todtnau in Germany was one of the quaintest little villages in the world and no one would convince Jack otherwise. He had been here many times over the years and loved coming back. The people, even though they couldn’t see him, where always so nice-a genuine nice.

But tonight the atmosphere held something the guardian had not felt in this place for a long time. Fear. A different kind of fear, one that Jack hated.

He sat beside Bunny on the rooftop to an old clock shop, they had only just arrived but it became clear this village was also affected by whatever was going on too. Luckily for both of them, German was one of the languages they spoke with ease.

Long ears twitched, “Sixteen children here are affected? That’s a lot for a place like this.”

“Who on earth would do this? They’re kids it’s not like they’re hurting anyone. And why use sleep? Is this like one of those sleeping curses where only that true loves kiss thing works?”

“I doubt it,” he looked at the winter guardian, “I’ve seen that sleeping curse in action before, this isn’t how it works. Curses like that one don’t usually work on young children, unlike this one which is affecting anyone from the age of five to twelve. I really don’t know what this is.”

The white haired spirit frowned. Somehow Jack was under the impression that they had a most wanted list of all the nasty beings out there stashed away. Obviously he was very wrong if none of them knew what was going on. “The kids here can’t see me…” He quietly said while watching the street, “You should ask them and see if it’s like the other places we’ve been tonight.”

Bunny put his hand on his friend’s shoulder, “You’ll get there mate, I promise.” It was going to be a long process though, he hoped Jack could be patient for a few more years, maybe even decades. The Pooka jumped off the building and darted for the toyshop down the street, he knew a lot of kids would be there.

Jack let out a sigh as he watched his friend go. True he had some believers now but that didn’t make it hurt any less when other kids walked through him. If anything it only made it worse.

A chattering sound caught his attention.

Looking to the next rooftop Jack saw a couple woodland fairies buzzing around a pair of gnomes. They were talking really fast but looked very worried. The group of fae talked so fast he only had time to pick out one word; Wunschstein. Wishing Stone.

Something about that word hit the winter guardian deep in his core. Not in a good way either. More like something reached in and grabbed his spine.

“Excuse me,” Jack waves his hand towards them, “Can you tell me what’s going on here?”

It was the fairies who darted towards him, buzzing wildly about his hair, “It’s the Jack of Frost! It is!”

That… that is not how you say it.. He sighed. Woodland fairies are so chatty he should have known better.

“What are you doing here? It’s not winter! Will you melt?”

“What? No I won’t melt. I wanted to know if you guys have any idea what’s up with the kids?”

The fairies paused, looked at each other and then at Jack, “It is a curse of course! A bad wish made to make children sleep!”

“A sleeping curse?” Jack couldn’t exactly argue one way or the other on that. It was really starting to look like a sleeping curse anyway you looked at it. “But if they are just asleep why can’t they dream?”

One of the gnomes, who jumped across the rooftops, answered, “A sleeping curse is not just simply sleeping forever. Sleeping curses make you not have dreams or nightmares. You are stuck in a state of dreamless sleep.”

“I’ve heard of sleeping curses but not one being used on a child.”

“I’ve seen it once,” Bunnymund jumped up from below the building, landing with ease beside Jack. “Pitch did it to a friend of mine, another good mate saved her.” His ears twitched, “You lot call this a sleeping curse? I’ve never heard of one acting this way.”

“It is made with a bad wish; thus it is different from other sleeping curses.”

“A bad wish?” Jack’s brow knit together.

“You’re saying someone just wished for all these kids to be put under a sleeping curse? No one has that kind of power. Wishing can do a lot of things, so can believing but there are limits.”

“They must have used a wishing stone.” One of the fairies insisted.

“A wishing stone?” The pooka raised a brow, “No one has seen those stones in centuries. How can you be sure a wishing stone did this?”

“Has word not reached the Guardians? There is a rumor that one was stolen from a great secret place.”

_There is an item that was stolen_.

“Stolen from a secret place?”

The other gnome nodded, “In the Black Forest there is a very heavily guarded treasury with many old and powerful objects. For years we have suspected a wishing stone might be there too. Yesterday someone broke into that treasury and now the children are cursed. This is not a coincidence.”

Could it be the same? “Hey Bunny…” Jack looked at his friend, “This might be a long shot. But if what these guys are saying is true then I might know someone who can help us.”

 

* * *

 

My apologies for the absence, I wanted to finish another fic first. But now Dreamless should be updated regularly again.


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